Independence won’t halt the brain drain

Sir, – I refer to the letter from Mr Joseph Miller as published in The Courier last week (August 8). I am afraid that his theory whereby an independent Scotland would ensure that the brightest and best of Scots-born citizens would be happy to stay put in Scotland instead of gaining experience of the wider world, flies in the face of the experiences of other countries with small economies and restricted work progression. Investment in Scotland would be more assured if, once and for all, the SNP would remove the threat of yet another referendum on Scottish independence. At present this acts as a positive discouragement to any corporate investor who primarily is seeking economic and political stability to ensure the sustainability and growth of the investment. So long as the SNP deliberately promotes instability, the slower will be the growth of investment in Scotland. Meanwhile, the more negative will be the impact upon the Scottish jobs market. The first principle when assessing capital risk for new investment, is the analysis of sovereign risk and economic stability. This is a factor overlooked by the SNP in its appeals for support for what is a seriously flawed emotional campaign. We should not therefore be surprised if our brightest and best decamp to other parts of the UK and EU to be able to work and gain experience in what are much broader employment markets. Derek Farmer. Knightsward Farm, Anstruther.

Time to end independence referendum uncertainty, says Derek Farmer.